Kapor Center

Influence and Motivation in STEM Among Underrepresented High School Students of Color

“Presented at the 2016 American Education Research Association (AERA) Conference in Washington, D.C. (April 8, 2016), this qualitative study examined the differing ways that boys and girls of color in the Summer Math and Science Honors Academy (SMASH) STEM program describe their motivations to pursue STEM studies. Among other findings of note, girls of color often reported entering STEM because they felt “good at it,” while boys of color persisted in STEM because of their perceived self-efficacy in STEM.”